This Selected Issues paper focuses on U.S. potential growth in the aftermath of the crisis. It discusses recent productivity developments in the nonfarm business sector. The paper uses back-of-the envelope calculations to gauge the effect of diminished financial sector activity on GDP growth in coming years. A simple production function framework is used to give a long view of key factors explaining potential GDP growth in the United States in the last 30 years and explore possible developments in the next few years.